Wii - Smash Bros. Brawl

[LightPhoenix]

I'm really excited for this game. It's mostly about the online play. My friends are all over the place, and it'll be nice to be able to play with them even though we're spread across the country. I will not likely be playing people I don't know in person, but that may change.

I'm not a huge Star Fox fan, which is ironic because my character in SSB is Fox. I'll likely be playing him.

 

[Agamon]

I'm having a big Rock Band "Battle of the Bands" party that weekend. Wouldn't it be nice to get my pre-ordered copy of Smash Bros to top it off?

Unfortunately, my pre-order is with EB, and EB doesn't always seem to believe in "release dates". More like "release weeks" or "release fortnights".

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I have been and always shall be a Samus player.

I am so glad though you can use Gamecube controllers as well since I want 4 player matches as soon as I buy it and I don't have enough wii controllers.

 

[Agamon]

I have been and always shall be a Samus player.

I am so glad though you can use Gamecube controllers as well since I want 4 player matches as soon as I buy it and I don't have enough wii controllers.

I have so may controllers for current systems, I'm not sure what to do with them all.

4 wiimotes
2 nunchucks
1 classic controller
2 gamecube controllers

4 xbox 360 controllers
4 Scene It LCA controllers
1 Rock Band drum set
1 Rock Band guitar
1 Rock Band microphone
1 Guitar Hero III guitar

1 PC controller

I need a much larger entertainment stand...

 

[Asmor]

I have so may controllers for current systems, I'm not sure what to do with them all.

4 wiimotes
2 nunchucks
1 classic controller
2 gamecube controllers

4 xbox 360 controllers
4 Scene It LCA controllers
1 Rock Band drum set
1 Rock Band guitar
1 Rock Band microphone
1 Guitar Hero III guitar

1 PC controller

I need a much larger entertainment stand...

Wow, that's scary how close it is to my own controller collection.

4 wiimotes
2 nunchuks
2 classic controllers
2 gamecube controllers, wired
1 wavebird
1 gamestop wireless gamecube controller, non-functional

4 Xbox 360 wireless controllers; 1 missing, 1 black, 1 w/messenger keyboard
1 DDR mat
1 Drum set
2 Guitars (1 Guitar Hero, 1 Rock Band)
1 Microphone
4 Scene-It controllers

And then of course all the assorted stuff for old systems which I don't play...

Back on topic, I picked up Brawl yesterday. Playing through the single-player campaign is interesting, though the last level is an ungodly nightmare (due to duration, not difficulty) and unlocks almost every character through play; the rest can be unlocked if you know where to find them, or through other means. Just unlocked my last character today before work.

I'm still undecided how I feel about this, but Brawl really does seem like Super Smash Brothers Melee with some new characters and stages. It really doesn't add much to the equation. On the flip side, it's still as fun as ever, and the new characters are what really matter, I s'pose.

I'll post my friends code when I get home (at work right now).

 

[Asmor]

My brawl friend code: 4081 5177 5000

 

[Arnwyn]

Can anyone tell me how different this game is from the N64 Super Smash Bros (ie. the very first one/original)?

I found that game to be the most wretched, hateful, and boring "fighting" game (well, most boring any game) I've ever played. However, people keep saying that its sequel is very good, and thus this one is highly anticipated as well. I've never played the sequel, so I'm assuming it's reasonably different.

So, how different is this one from the original?

 

[fba827]

If you don't like fighting games in general then I doubt you'd like this new one since it is just that, a fighting game with heavy focus on the finishing moves (the smashes) as the goal.

Note: I do not have the game though I played it a couple times at a friend's house and also saw previews and interviews online to determine whether or not i would eventually buy it. Nor have I played any of the previous titles in the series.

In one of the interviews (I believe it was a designer's video interview that can be found on ign.com) the designer makes a couple points about how it is very similar to previous versions with some minor clunky things removed and some new stuff (like new characters and scenes) put in as well as online capable play etc. The designer also made several side-references (while answering other questions) about how the game was designed specifically with the goal of being inclusive for any newcomers to the series.

I have noticed among my friends the biggest draw is really the characters, everyone seem to like picking a character or two and latching on to them as their favorite so having such a large roster in this game helps everyone find their 'niche' for their fighting type.

When watching my friends (who are experienced with the series and also have more coordination for the controls) play, frankly it's fairly uninteresting after 5 minutes only because it looks like chaotic running around the screen.

When playing, I played a little slowly to get used to the controls, after being allowed to play slowly to give myself a chance to get the controls down,

But basically, the focus is as a multiplayer fighting game. A chance to socialize about beating each other. The single player story mode thing got old REALY quick (so don't get this if you want a solo game experience - it's not really meant as that for the focus - just my opinion).

 

[Asmor]

For what it's worth, I used to hate this game (Super Smash Bros in general, not Brawl specifically) because I thought myself a sort of fighting game "purist." I don't remember what made me decide to give Melee (the last one) a second chance or when I did, but I've loved it for a very long time.

It actually does have a surprising amount of depth, and a skilled player will defeat an unskilled one most of the time. Despite that, it is imminently accessible as the control scheme is relatively simple (in Brawl, one of the control schemes uses the wiimote, by itself, on the side; in other words, it could have theoretically been done on the NES controller!).

Ultimately, my advice is this: Play it. You're already an RPG player, which theoretically skews your circle of acquaintances in a particular direction... I'd be highly skeptical if you don't know anyone that has Melee or Brawl. If you don't... rent it.

As has been said, it's a multiplayer game at heart. The online component's nice, but if you can't get people over to your place to play it with you on a semi-regular basis it may not be worth the money.

 

[Arnwyn]

If you don't like fighting games in general then I doubt you'd like this new one since it is just that, a fighting game with heavy focus on the finishing moves (the smashes) as the goal.

Actually, I'm a reasonably big fan of fighting games (played SF and MK for years, with a little less Tekken - nowadays I particularly love SoulCalibur and DOA) - which is why I despised the (N64) Smash Bros.

It actually does have a surprising amount of depth, and a skilled player will defeat an unskilled one most of the time.

Ah, so there is a big difference between this new one and the N64 one, as this certainly wasn't the case in the past. My friend's wife insisted I play it with her (as everyone else wouldn't because of how boring it was) and she played it a lot and would be considered "skilled" - and I still won more often than not just by randomly mashing buttons. Sad. Good to hear that's different.

I'd be highly skeptical if you don't know anyone that has Melee or Brawl.

They're all Wii (and Nintendo) haters. (I don't blame them, actually.)

Thanks for the info, guys!